Rugged Off-Road Trucks You Won't Find in the Showroom

Perfected FJMore reboot than restoration, Icon's latest take on Toyota's rugged FJ40 Land Cruiser is a prime example of founder Jonathan Ward's obsession with perfection. The newest model, the FJ44 is what you'd get if Land Rover had continued developing the FJ40 after Toyota pulled up stakes in 1984. Every aspect has been improved, from the thick, box-section frame, to the GM 5.7-liter V8, to the meticulous interior details (machined aluminum knobs and even heated seats) and a body stamped from aluminum so it won't rust. It drives more precisely than its utilitarian design suggests, thanks to four-link coil-spring suspension, and the thick cloth top does an admirable job of quelling road noise. Forget the creature comforts, the mechanical click of the gearshift, and the woven Chilewich carpet and you're left with a beastly off-roader. The Atlas transfer case and ARB locking diffs permit manual control of torque distribution, and there are tractor-like approach and departure angles. Who's game for a road trip up Mount Kilimanjaro? We can only hope the affluent buyers (it starts at $150,000) won't be shy about soiling this off-road tribute.

2011 Icon FJ44

2011 Icon FJ44

Perfected FJ

More reboot than restoration, Icon's latest take on Toyota's rugged FJ40 Land Cruiser is a prime example of founder Jonathan Ward's obsession with perfection. The newest model, the FJ44 is what you'd get if Land Rover had continued developing the FJ40 after Toyota pulled up stakes in 1984. Every aspect has been improved, from the thick, box-section frame, to the GM 5.7-liter V8, to the meticulous interior details (machined aluminum knobs and even heated seats) and a body stamped from aluminum so it won't rust. It drives more precisely than its utilitarian design suggests, thanks to four-link coil-spring suspension, and the thick cloth top does an admirable job of quelling road noise. Forget the creature comforts, the mechanical click of the gearshift, and the woven Chilewich carpet and you're left with a beastly off-roader. The Atlas transfer case and ARB locking diffs permit manual control of torque distribution, and there are tractor-like approach and departure angles. Who's game for a road trip up Mount Kilimanjaro? We can only hope the affluent buyers (it starts at $150,000) won't be shy about soiling this off-road tribute.

2011 AEV Brute

2011 AEV Brute

The Missing Link

There hasn't been a pickup version of Jeep's down-and-dirty off-roader since the Scrambler of the early '80s. But there is a way to build your own with an $8995 kit from the aftermarket company American Expedition Vehicles (AEV). This is not, however, one of those weekend projects that you can knock off with the help of a few friends and free beer. Not only does the body have to be separated from the frame, it needs to be cut in half so the supplied rear body can be welded on. A removable fiberglass top completes the cab. In addition, the frame has to be stretched 2 feet by cutting it at the midsection and welding in the included stringers. AEV says the process takes about 60 hours. But the finished product looks factory-made, and the 6-foot bed is constructed from heavy-gauge steel—stamped in Detroit, which somehow amps up the manly factor. From inside the Brute's cab, the cacophony of whistling wind and humming tires was a bit deafening, which is just like the standard Jeep the kit is made for: the 1997 to 2006 TJ Series Wrangler. AEV has numerous other body and chassis enhancements that can do serious credit card damage. If you're DIY-averse, you can always ship your Wrangler to Michigan and have AEV do the work.